Shooting any gun requires careful precision in order to shoot accurately. It also requires you to have the strength necessary to control the firearm, as well as the endurance to continue to exhibit this same control throughout the full time shooting is done.

The Requirement Of Strength Is A Real One

For someone who has no previous experience shooting guns, they are most likely not aware of the level of strength that shooting a firearm requires. However, when you consider the overall weight of a rifle, shotgun, or muzzleloader, standing there shooting time after time can tire out the body if you are unaccustomed to doing it. After all, there is a reason a table is used to sight in a rifle for hunting season . This serves to keep the gun still and takes the shooter’s need for strength and endurance out of the equation.

How Lack of Strength Affects A Shooter

While pistols are much lighter in comparison to rifles, shotguns, etc., the need for proper levels of strength in order to shoot accurately and maintain your accuracy for time is even more important because the pistol is held out, with the arms extended. This creates a lever through your upper body as you aim, so each joint from the core to the shoulder and out to the hand must maintain integrity, otherwise your shooting accuracy will drop like a rock in a pond.

Attention To Hands and Wrists

Without a doubt one of the biggest weak points when shooting a pistol will be the hands and wrists. Although many of the men and women who rely on pistols as part of their job are in excellent condition, often their training doesn’t emphasize strengthening the grip very much. This particular weakness can leave a whole in a shooter’s physical strength that can hold their shooting ability back.

Build Strength For Your Specific Weapon

There are hundreds of ways you can work to increase your grip strength for shooting rifles, pistols and other firearms. The Internet has some great posts laying out some very good high-impact grip training exercises that will carry-over well for your shooting. When possible, go with exercises performed with the same type and model of shooting device you will actually be using.